Monday, December 21, 2015

As we conclude this series on "Love Story and God's Glory",
I pray you have been encouraged with a deeper treasuring of the Big
Love Story of His redemption and a bigger vision for considering
marriage for His glory!

There is a bigger story than our earthly love story.This story is the purpose of our lives and is
the Love Story you are called to no matter what your earthly love story looks
like.All of your life and relationships
will flow from where you stand in this Love Story.

The Biggest Love Story – The Gospel - God created people to be in fellowship
with Him, bringing joy to man and glory to God.But people sinned and broke our relationship with God.God showed His powerful love by sending His
perfect Son Jesus to earth to die on the cross for people’s sins and rise
victorious – offering forgiveness of sin, a restored relationship with God, and
eternal life in Jesus.When we trust in
Jesus to save us and give our lives to Him as our Lord, we become His - the
Bride of Christ – forever.

This is the most beautiful Love Story of all time.All of life and human love stories point to
this.Only when we grasp this Love Story
will we be fulfilled, and be able to have the right approach to a human love
story - lived in, from, and for this Love Story.

The Big Love Story - and a human love story - are about Jesus.

A love story based in Jesus, through His life in you, and for His glory.

A love story that points you and every one watching to Jesus.

A love story for His glory.

"...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

We are called to live, consider marriage, and marry to the glory
of God - in a way that declares how good He is. Isn't this amazing and exciting? It twinkles with beauty - and
the sweet reality is that God's glory and our joy always go
hand-in-hand.

Let Jesus write your love story, friend. The One Who is
Love and the creator of love can - and must - be trusted with the pen of
your love story.

As you are satisfied in Jesus, growing into who He has
called you to be, and are considering marriage for His glory, He will
write the perfect story for His glory in your life.

Many of you know my favorite illustration to use when I
talk about marriage - and I want to share it as we conclude this series.

Picture this:

You are running the race of life with Jesus. You are
running with Him, in Him, and for Him with all of your might. You are
loving the run and are satisfied in Him. As you run, you begun to think,
"I'd sure love to have a running partner, but I don't see anyone around
here."

At this point there are 2 decisions you can make.

1. You can let the thought enter your mind, "Maybe if I just get off
course a little, I can find someone." This will both get you off course
and cause you to likely end up with someone sitting on the sidelines, not running the race - causing heartache in both
ways.
OR
2. You can keep running the race to know Jesus and make Him known with
all that you are, and trust Him to bring someone who is running with the
same passion. You can join paths and continue the race together as
teammates. In this there is so much joy.

If He calls you to singleness, He will always be enough,
you are fulfilling your purpose, and you can run the race fully
satisfied in Jesus!

Whether single or married to someone who is running the race with Jesus, you are running the race and living the Big Love Story.

If it is His will for you to marry and He leads you into
marriage, you and your husband can go on mission together to know Jesus
and make Him known.

It is joining together as one in a love story founded on,
thriving by, and for the glory of Jesus - as part of the Big Love Story
for His glory!

I love these verses as we look at this, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!...And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12)

Two to walk with Jesus together, cheer one another on in Him, and lift
one another up when they stumble. Companions and comrades on the journey
with Jesus.

I have been so inspired by the love story of Charles and
Susanna Spurgeon. Their mutual hearts that deeply loved Jesus, longed to
grow in Him, and beat with passion to share Him formed such a unity and
unusually beautiful marriage.

As you and the husband God gives you go on mission with Jesus together to:
- know Him
- grow in Him
- love and serve one another
- make Him known
it brings great glory to God, joy to your marriage, and blessing to others.

This union reflects Christ and the Church - the Big Love Story - to a world who needs Jesus.

Oh friends! Yesterday at church I saw a living example of
what I wrote about in the last post - and my heart is still so full of joy.
In the worship service there was an older couple in their 70s sitting in
front of me. It was obvious from everything about them that they loved
Jesus, one another, and others.

The darling older gentlemen with a twinkle in his eyes slipped into his
seat before service after serving in the bookstore. His adorable wife
gave him a warm smile and patted his leg. They sat there shoulder to
shoulder, leaning against each other in their coordinating sweaters,
soaking in the teaching of the Word. The older man lifted his hand in
worship as we sang.

After service, the man slipped out to help in the bookstore again and we
visited with his wife. Our conversation with her confirmed what was
obvious in their living. As she warmly talked with joy shining from her
eyes, it was clear they had spent their lives loving Jesus, loving one
another, loving others, and living for Him and His Kingdom.

This is vision we want to keep before us for marriage - the
vision of loving Jesus, loving others, and living for Him together in a
way that points people to Jesus.

It begins with walking with Jesus this way ourselves,
trusting Him to bring someone with the same heart, allowing Him to lead
us into marriage, and then living for Him together every season of the
journey as we grow and mature in Him!

A Love Story for His glory.

God is writing a story for His glory in your life as a part of the Big Love Story.

Whether an earthly love story is in His perfect plan for
you or not, you have the matchless satisfaction, purpose, and joy of
living in the Big Love Story with Him.

As you walk in love with Him, surrendered to His plan,
embracing life with His love wherever He calls
you, with the goal of making much of Him, whatever it holds will unfold - for your greatest good and His greatest
glory.

He is calling you:
Seek Me.
Trust Me.
Follow Me.
Glorify Me wherever I place you.
I love you and have the best in store.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Walk hand-in-hand with Jesus and He will lead you in His Love Story for His glory. And there will be a happily ever after - and there will be no end.

“Butseek
firstthe kingdom of God and his
righteousness,and all these
things will be added to you.” ~Matthew 6:33

When my husband and I
got married in July 2014, Matthew 6:33 was our wedding verse. How perfectly
this verse describes the attitude of one who fears God, no matter what stage of
life she is in!

Whether a young woman is single, in a courtship, engaged, or
married, her primary goal should be to honor the Lord.

First, it is important
for a young lady to prioritize her relationship with God in her single years. When
I was growing up, many girls my age spent their teenage years chasing the
things of the world, including boys, social status, and other selfish pursuits.
All too often, the results were damaged emotions and wasted time.

In contrast, it is a rare and beautiful thing
for a girl to seek God first in her life. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God,
and he will draw near to you.” As you seek Jesus, you will find fulfillment and
peace that is greater than the world can ever offer. I would encourage single
young ladies to devote themselves to a serious study of God’s Word and to
prayer. Also, use this period of time to serve God and others. You will never
regret using your single years for the Lord!

Also, it is important
to use your single years to develop a deep satisfaction in Christ. Young ladies
often buy into the lie that a relationship is the solution to feeling happy and
complete. The truth is that if your satisfaction is not found in Christ alone,
you can feel miserable at any stage of life – whether single or married.

While I was a teenager,
the Lord worked in my heart to teach me that only He could complete me. I am
truly grateful for this sweet lesson. Since Christ had fulfilled my heart, by
the time I met my husband I wasn’t looking for someone to fix my insecurities. Yes,
it’s true that I am happier as a married woman than at any other time in my
life. Indeed, my husband and I have a deep, close, and meaningful relationship.
However, this delight is only possible because each of us is individuallycompleted in Christ. Therefore, the great joy
that my husband brings is an added blessing, rather than the antidote to my
insecurities.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep
your heart with all vigilance, forfrom it flowthe springs of life.” Unfortunately, many girls use their
single years as an excuse to throw their hearts around, and to flirt with boys.
However, godly men are very rarely attracted to flirtatious girls. In fact, my
husband says that when we first met, the absence of flirtationin our conversation made a deep impression
upon him. If a young lady desires to find a godly husband, she ought to work
towards character worthy of such a man.

Indeed, Christian girls
should find joy and beauty in saving their hearts for their future husbands.
This means avoiding the pitfall of forming premature crushes and attachments to
boys. As a now-married woman, I can testify that saving my heart for my husband
was one of the best decisions I ever made! It’s a beautiful thing to open up
your heart for the first time to the one that God intended for you all along.

For those who have had past
struggles, and may not have the "perfect track record," it's
important to remember that all of these principles can still be applied
starting today. Know that God graciously forgives anyone who seeks Him (1 John
1:9). Through Christ's blood, no sin is held against a child of God. Each day
is a new day with new chances to bring glory to Him.

It is also important
for a young lady to honor God in the process of considering marriage. Psalms 46:10
says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” It’s easy for young ladies to be
constantly searching for “the one.” Instead,
it is when we surrender our hearts to God that we find peace. Indeed, a young
woman should be completely content for God’s will and timing in her life – even
if it means lifelong singleness!

I remember a time in my
life when I was struggling with discontentment in singleness. Thankfully, the
Lord grabbed a hold of my heart and brought me to the point of surrendering my
desire for a relationship to His will. I became completely content with His
will for my future. Amazingly, the Lord brought my husband into my life just
weeks later! In this case, the Lord was willing to grant me the desires of my
heart, but He wanted full control of my heart first.

When considering a
young man, don’t settle for someone who is merely good-looking and nice.
Instead, search for a man whose life reflects the light of God. He should have
a heart which consistently seeks after the Lord. While perfection is not the
goal, you should still seek a man with truly excellent character. From personal
experience, I can say that the blessings of being led by a godly husband are
many!

Even while in a
courtship or marriage, a woman shouldn’t lose sight of the importance of
prioritizing her relationship with God. A woman who seeks God with all of her
heart will continue to find satisfaction in Him. Such a woman will also be a
great blessing to those around her – including her husband (Proverbs 31). When
both the husband and the wife are honoring God, it is a beautiful example of
Christ and his church (Ephesians 5).

In conclusion, pursuing Christ above all else is vital in any stage of a woman's
life. Whether single or married, a woman can find freedom and contentment as
she pursues her relationship with Christ above all others. Seeking first God’s
kingdom truly brings many blessings.

I hope you are doing so well and soaking in this amazing time of year! I love how it is about JESUS!

I just love loving and seeking Him together with you! You are precious treasures. Please never forget how loved you are by Jesus - and me!

I am so, so sorry for the delay in posts on the schedule! Will you please, please forgive me, friends?!

Today we have a special treat of a testimony from a young woman who has walked with Jesus through this journey of seeking to live for God's glory in the area of the Big Love Story and an earthly love story! I will post it very soon!

The final post of the "Love Story and God's Glory" series will be coming at the beginning of next week! It has been such a joy to consider this topic together and hear your feedback! I love how Jesus is the center of - and at work in - every area of our lives!

We will post the final mini videos before the end of the year. Some, or all, of these mini videos will only be available through the end of the year, so please make sure to watch them if you want!

I am so excited for all Jesus has in store! He is matchless and His way is perfect!

Sending hugs and asking Jesus to bless you in rich ways as you walk with Him today!

With so much love,Amy

"Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (Psalm 143:8)

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Just think of it - If
God has a husband for you, he is alive and walking the face of the earth right
now.

As you walk this amazing journey with
Jesus, the most important decision you make after committing your life to
Christ, is who you will marry.

{Enter prospective husband.}

Okay, wait.Pause.

It is so incredibly, incredibly helpful to seek Jesus and know ahead of time what
is important in a husband BEFORE a guy comes along vs. being caught up on the
fact that a guy is pursuing you and losing sense of what is important.

In this post we are going to look exactly
that - seeking God's heart on considering a guy as a potential future husband
for you.{Did I hear a woo hoo? :)}

So far in this series we have looked at the purpose, approach, and you of
marriage - now we are going to look at considering the "who" of marriage.

I want you to see how incredibly serious
and sacred this decision is.This is
the person you are going to spend the rest of your life on earth with.I encourage you to stop and ask the Lord
for His guidance for you personally - we so need His leading to choose wisely.

As we begin, I want to be so clear that you
are looking at a guy's heart, character, and direction of life.No guy is perfect (we sure aren't!) - but
taking a serious look at his heart, his growth in Jesus, and his pattern of
life is essential.
Okay, ready?

Keys to look at:~ Christ's place in his life - his walk
with Jesus.
Is he Christ's man? (Again, NEVER consider someone who isn't Christ's!)Is Jesus his life, or just part of his life?Is he in love with Jesus?Does he walk with Jesus?~ Character - his heart and who he is.
Is he like Jesus?Is he growing in Jesus
and becoming like Him?What is he like
when no one is watching?Is he humble, a
man of integrity, selfless, faithful, consistent, etc.?~ Convictions - what he believes.
What does he believe?Are his
convictions founded on the Word of God?What is his vision for life, marriage, children, raising/schooling your
children, church, use of time, activities, finances, etc.?~ His lifestyle -how he lives.Does his walk match his talk?How
does he treat others?Where does he
invest his treasure?What does he watch,
look at, spend time on?What does he get
excited about?How does he respond to
suffering?Can he support a family?~ His mission - what he lives for.Does he live for Jesus?Is his
desire to glorify Christ with His life?Is his mission to know Jesus and make Him known?Are you both on the same path?Can you join him in his mission?

Heartbeat:A
guy who is fully Christ's, who deeply loves the Lord, walks with Him, seeks to
obey and honor Him and His Word with his life, desires to grow in His likeness,
and seeks to make Him known and build His Kingdom.
This will flow out in a million different ways in every area of his life - and
through your life together.

Outline:
1. Pray about him - get the Lord's
heart for the kind of guy you should marry.
2. Make a list of key qualities - from
the Word, key things you know are important in a godly spouse, specifics the
Lord lays on your heart.
3. Pray for him - pray for him, pray
for those qualities to be formed in his life, pray Scripture for him, ask the
Lord to bring you together in the right time.
4. Place this in Jesus' hands, release
to Him, and trust Him for His will - knowing Jesus knows best.

Remember these things:~ Realize what you are choosing -
not only your husband, best friend, teammate, lover, and key growth partner,
but also your kid's father, the spiritual leader of your home, who you will
submit to and support, and so much more!~ Consider the Bible's call to husbands
and wives, and see - this is the man you will be answering God's call to place
yourself under his spiritual leadership, submit to, and support - as teammates
with equal value and beautifully different roles.You must know that he is a man who is
following Christ!~ You are going to do LIFE with this person
- with all that it holds of celebration, suffering, and daily life - not just 2
hour conversations over coffee.

As you consider him:- Ask key questions about key areas to get
to know one another and see if you are on the same page - walk with Christ,
theology, expectations for marriage, children, raising/schooling children,
church, past, entertainment, finances, etc.- Observe him and have those you trust
observe him.Like someone said - "Use a magnifying glass before marriage and put
on rose colored glasses after marriage."This is your time to identify things that
could be huge issues after marriage.- Really, REALLY get to know him.It is so important to know a person
incredibly well before committing to spend the rest of your life with them!(Make sure he was living the way he is and
following Christ before he met you vs. trying to get you by living how you do.)- You want to look first at their heart
and who they are as a person, and then consider chemistry and emotions.Emotions will come and go, but who a person
is is critical.- Notice:"Do I love Jesus more after
being with him?" "Does he lead my heart more to Jesus than himself?"- Remember as you consider
"him", you are really considering "us".- Pray, pray, pray!Seek Jesus every step. Fast.You want Him to choose and lead you to His man for you.He knows best, does best, and sees the big
picture.

Ask:Can
I walk toward Jesus with this man?
Is this God's man for me?Is God calling
me to marry him?

Decision:~ If the Lord makes it clear that a
guy is not His man for you, don't settle - you can know that He has a plan that
you can trust is best.(I want to
encourage your heart - there are great, godly guys out there who are pursuing
Jesus!)
You must know that Jesus is leading you to marry a guy - not emotions,
expectations, or pressures.~ If as you seek Jesus about a guy, He
makes it clear that this is His man for you - embrace this gift with joy!It is a beautiful treasure.You have the joy of sharing life, being a
team, and supporting him as you love, follow, and share Jesus together!

Vision:
Can I tell you a little something you may not know?I am a romantic at heart.This is why it is extra important that Jesus
is the love of my life and that I surrender this area to Him - and where I have
found such fulfillment and freedom!While
there are sacred things I ask Jesus for that I will keep between me and Him, I will
give you a little general glimpse of what I am trusting Jesus for:

Someone
whose hand I can grab and run towards Jesus together with all our hearts, who
we can fan one another's flame of closeness with and love for Jesus, who we can
challenge one another to growth in Him, and who we can pour out our lives for
His glory for each other and the world around us.

Someone I can live for Jesus with - and die for Jesus with.Whether that is living to a ripe old age as
an adorable little old couple whose wrinkled hands still clasp together in
prayerful worship for His faithfulness in the joys and trials, or dying at any
age for our faith in Jesus, hand-in-hand, declaring to one another, "Jesus
is worth it!"Someone with whom to
share this journey with our Jesus and live this verse, "O magnify the Lord
with me, and let us exalt His name together!" (Psalm 34:3)

Now it is your turn, friend.

I encourage you to go before Jesus,
pray, search His Word, think, and know what is important in a husband.

Then write it down and lift it up to Jesus in prayer.

He hears you and He cares about this more than you ever could.

You want God's man for you.Don't settle for less.Follow Jesus, stay true to what He shown you, and trust Him to bring His
best for you.

Jesus knows best, His way is best, He
gives what is best - and only we want what He wants to give."...the
Lord will give what is good..." (Psalm 85:12)

If it is His will, He will bring His man
for you in His time - and together you can heart in heart and hand in hand walk
with Jesus, grow in Him, and live for His glory!

"O magnify the Lord with me, and let
us exalt his name together!" (Psalm 34:3)

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Sweet Friend, I wish for this blog post, we could be sitting together
over warm mugs of cocoa for a heart-to-heart talk.

I am thinking of you - precious you - so deeply loved by Jesus, kept in His
care, and for whose life He has a breathtaking plan.

Yes.

I invite you to listen closely and ask Jesus to meet you in these next moments.

The things we are going to look at are an invitation to the life Jesus
created, redeemed, and called you for.

This is crucial for you to understand and embrace the life you were created for
- whether you are married or not.

You don't want to settle for anything less than all Jesus created you to be and
do in Him!

As you live in this, you experience the fulfillment, joy, and purpose you
were meant to experience.

You are called to live a full life - right now.

When you understand who you are, the life God has called you to live, and
are living in this, you are in a healthy place to consider joining paths with a
guy on the same path.

It can be so easy to focus on finding the right person - the
qualities of the guy you desire, or the right way to consider marriage, etc. -
and miss being the right person - the person Jesus is calling you to be.

You see, you need to know who you are and the life God has called you to live
before you know if the guy you are considering is who you should marry.

The goal is to look to Jesus and then look at you, before you ever consider
who you will marry.

Does that make sense?

Are you ready to look at you?

A theme verse for my life has been Mary's response to the Lord's call for her -
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word." (Luke 1:38) May our hearts pray, "Lord, I am
Yours - do in, with, and through my life all that You desire!"
As we look to, listen to, and are lead by Jesus, as His, He will lead us
into the life He has in store for us - and nothing compares.

Let's look at your life with Jesus:

The areas are powerful. There is much that could be said about each one -
and I encourage you to do further study yourself!

~ Whose you are - You must know whose you are before anything
else. Have you become Christ's through seeing your sin and need for a
savior, trusting in Christ and His death on the cross on your behalf, receiving
His forgiveness and life, and turning from your sin and giving your life to
Him? (More HERE.)
If you have, you are His - you belong to Him, you are loved, forgiven,
eternally rescued, and spiritually alive. You are His, He will keep you
eternally, and your call is to follow Him with your life.

"...you are Christ's..." (1 Cor. 2:23)

~ Who you are in Jesus - Understand who you are in Jesus. He alone
has the right to define you - not what others say, your feelings, your
relationship status, etc. Listen to Jesus in His Word, discover who you
are in Him, and seek live in that reality. This will bring a security and
humble confidence.

" Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Cor. 5:17)

~ Whole in Christ - See that Jesus alone can complete and satisfy your
deepest needs. While longings for marriage can be very real, and a guy
can be a great gift, only Jesus can satisfy your deepest needs and complete
you. He alone can also bring the freedom to your soul, cleansing from
your sin, and healing from your past. Allow Him to meet you, complete
you, heal you, and set you free.

"...in Him you have been made complete..." (Col. 2:10)

~ Who God created you to be - God has a beautiful plan in who He created
you to be and how He fashioned your life. Your personality, spiritual
gifts, passions, strengths and weaknesses, etc. are incredible things when
yielded to Him for His glory! Don't try to be someone else, or try to be
what others want you to be - be you.
"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful
are your works; my soul knows it very well." (Ps. 139:14)

~ What you believe and why - Look to Jesus and His Word to receive and know what
YOU personally believe. Ask yourself WHY you believe it. Is it
because you have seen it in the Bible and Jesus? Or is it because someone
you respect said or believes it? You must receive it from JESUS - and
then seek to live it with all of your heart!

"...your word is truth." (John 17:17)

~ What life you are called to live - Receive from Jesus the life He has
called you to live.
Let's look at 3 different aspects:
1. The life all Christians are called to in His Word - as you read His Word,
the Bible, you discover this call!
2. Your call as a young woman - there is incredible freedom in understanding
Biblical womanhood and the beauty of femininity for God's glory and your
blessing! I encourage you to study and live this with joy.
3. God's individual call for you - this is always in line with the first two
and is the specific way He is calling you to walk with Him and share Him with
the world. As you follow Him in obedient surrender, He will unfold His
vision for your life and lead you into His beautiful call.Live fully where He has you right now.
Love and walk with Jesus, love and serve people He has in your life, encourage
all sisters and brothers in Jesus, live the life He has called you to - right
where He has you today.

"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him,
and to which God has called him." (1 Cor. 7:17)

~ Working with Jesus on growth - Jesus calls us to growth. We will never be
perfect this side of Heaven, but Jesus is working to grow us more into depth
with Him, His likeness, and effectiveness for His use.
1. Our walk with Him - is a relationship that He longs for us to deepen every
day of our lives as we respond to His pursuing our hearts by loving Him in
return, spending time with Him, learning from Him, sharing our hearts with Him,
and so much more!
2. Our heart condition - He is committed to working in our heart to transform
us into the likeness of Jesus - for our good, His glory, and the blessing of
those around us! It is so powerful to welcome His work and pursue the
heart of Jesus being formed in us. Then increasingly people will see
Jesus in us!
3. Our skills and habits - these are areas of our life to be cultivated that
can help us in more effectively walking with, living for, and sharing
Jesus. This can include life skills and habits like hospitality,
organization, cooking, wise use of money, scheduling, etc. - and relationship
skills like communication, thoughtfulness, humility, etc.

We are all in the process of growth and will be all of our lives. Staying
teachable, humble, and growing are beautiful things! Our blessing is
Jesus working in our hearts and lives to grow us to be more like Him and live
more fully the life He created us to live in Him.

"...it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)

I encourage you to pause and talk with Jesus about each of these areas,
friend. Let Him lovingly speak to you, pour His grace on you, and lead
you as you respond and follow Him in the life He has created you for and called
you to in Him.

As you live as Christ's, walking closely with Him,
secure and satisfied in His love, growing in Him, shining His light and
building His family, living the life He has called you to, and following Him in
faith, you are fulfilling your deepest purpose.

You experience incredible joy, God is glorified, and people are blessed in a
way that ripples through eternity.

In God's time and way, He can attract a godly guy to you who you both to
realize shares the same love for Him, vision for life, and passion to follow
and glorify Jesus - and you can continue the journey together!
And whether or not His plan includes marriage, you are living fully the
breathtaking life in Him you were created to live!

Does your heart echo this desire with mine?“I want to walk closely with My Jesus, grow in Him, follow His call, and
shine His light right where He calls me – and trust Him to bring someone to do
this with, if and when He sees best!”